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The Union government’s connection to transportation retired the delimitation workout connected the ground of the 2011 Census successful bid to instrumentality the women’s preservation instrumentality by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections has not lone reversed its earlier presumption but has besides prompted the Congress to nuance its stance.
Until recently, the authorities had maintained that the instrumentality could beryllium implemented lone aft the completion of the delimitation workout linked to the archetypal Census conducted aft 2026.
The Congress, which had earlier pressed for the contiguous implementation of the women’s preservation law, is present demanding an all-party gathering to sermon the imaginable interaction of specified a move.
Party leaders reason that if the spot of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies is accrued uniformly by astir 50%, States with larger populations would automatically summation much seats, widening the existing practice gap.
The contented was archetypal publically flagged by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who pointed to the implications of a population-based summation successful seats for confederate States.
Except for Andhra Pradesh, wherever the Telugu Desam Party, a subordinate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is successful power, the different confederate States are ruled by non-NDA parties that could perchance instrumentality a communal stance connected the issue.
The Centre, however, has already rejected the Congress’s request for an all-party consultation.
“As highlighted by Telangana Chief Minister @revanth_anumula garu — Uttar Pradesh: 80 → 120 seats, Telangana: 17 → 26 seats. The spread widens from 63 to 94 seats. Now look astatine the larger picture: Southern States summation 66 seats (129 → 195), portion bluish States summation 200 seats,” Congress MP Manickam Tagore said successful a station connected X.
Though nary authoritative connection has been placed successful the nationalist domain, authorities sources are said to beryllium examining the anticipation of expanding the spot of the Lok Sabha from 543 to astir 816 seats, with 33% reserved for women successful enactment with the provisions of the women’s preservation law.
Mr. Tagore said that portion a azygous 50% summation successful seats mightiness look fair, the underlying colonisation disparities betwixt regions would inevitably tilt parliamentary practice towards States with higher colonisation maturation successful the Hindi belt.
“Southern States hazard being pushed to the governmental margins,” the Congress MP from Tamil Nadu said.
Beyond the emerging north-south debate, the Congress is besides seeking clarity connected however the authorities proposes to code demands for practice of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) wrong the women’s preservation framework.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi had raised this contented during the statement successful the Lok Sabha erstwhile the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed successful September 2023.
“The Indian National Congress demands the contiguous implementation of this Bill. Along with it, a caste census should beryllium conducted and preservation provided for women from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs,” Ms. Gandhi had said successful the Lok Sabha connected September 20, 2023.
Party leaders present reason that the timing of the delimitation workout could besides person implications for the broader statement astir caste-based representation.
“The authorities wants to supply preservation connected the ground of the 2011 Census, arsenic it does not see caste data. If women’s preservation is implemented aft the caste census, the request for OBC quotas proportional to their stock successful the colonisation volition inevitably arise,” a elder Congress person said.
